By Tyler Sandora
You will never find Great Valley’s best attribute on the stat sheet.
They have shooters, rebounders, and passers, but there is one piece missing from the engine that powers the Patriots game.
Intensity.
They definitely brought that intensity on Saturday night as they defeated Springfield (Delco.), 41-38.
With the win, Great Valley punched its ticket to Temple University for the 5A district Final Four, where it will meet the No. 3 seed Penncrest Lions. The Patriots also qualified for a spot in the PIAA 5A state playoffs.
Nate Graeff (above) and Great Valley will take on Penncrest in the District 5A semifinals next Wednesday. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)
The main catalyst of the intense game play was junior forward Nate Graeff. At 6-foot-2, Graeff needed to play shut-down defense to make up for his lack of height.
Whether it was diving on the floor after loose balls, boxing out Springfield’s big man Great Orjih, or making shots just as the score was getting closer, Graeff was seemingly everywhere on the court
“Nate Graeff played the game of his life,” coach Paul Girone said. “I thought he defended their big men well. He is three or four inches shorter but he took him right out of the game. He did exactly what we needed.”
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